Yes, Sam is the dog. There are several varieties of shapeshifters that show up later in the series. I don’t think the dog is doing a very good job of looking like a shape-shifted Sam, though. And I remember him being more helpful in the book, when Sookie was hurt.
I thought this second episode was a little better, particularly some of the scenes between Bill and Sookie were good (but *not *the scene where she drinks his blood, I thought that was badly done.) I do like the way they handled Bill’s action scene with the Rattrays, avoiding bad special effects, which is what you almost always get when vampires fight on TV.
Tara was better in this episode, but the other women continue to be awful, and I don’t like the way they’re portraying Jason very much.
Sookie’s rant at the sheriff and the coroner was out of character, and her smelling the cracker under the chair was a dumb way to demonstrate a heightened sense of smell.
I like Lafayette pretty well, but Sam doesn’t seem as level-headed as he is in the books.
He’s a little too puppy-dog. I believe in the books he came off as more arrogant and self-assured, more a young Billy Zabka ( the blond Karate Kid bad guy ) or James Spader.
I quite liked it but was horribly distracted by Ryan Kwanten (Jason, Sookie’s brother).
He will forever be not-so-bright surfer dude Vinnie Patterson, from Australian soap *Home and Away * to me. He’s looking quite bony and botoxed now.
Did his accent fool anyone? To my ears he still sounds Australian .
OK, the 2nd episode was noticeably better than the first. I think as they develop Sookie and Bill’s relationship more, that it’ll pick up. I’m still finding Tara’s character trite and irritating, but I like the grandmother. After watching the 1st episode, I said I’d give it one more try, and I’d say it just barely passed muster to keep it on my “record list” on my DVR.
It’s still not appointment TV, but it’s holding my attention. I hope they won’t end every episode with Sookie in danger, but it’s probably no worse than other shows in that regard. The writers need to show some confidence that we’ll keep watching, without cliffhangers.
One thing I like is the dialogue. They talk like normal people talk – sometimes witty, sometimes banal. Tara and grandma’s zingers to Jason were predictable, to everyone except Jason. He’s really an unsympathetic character. Am I supposed to like him?
I’m wondering if Sookie tried to read Sam’s thoughts but couldn’t. Daytime vampires wouldn’t surprise me. Bill seems to be saying they’re not all the same. Or maybe Sam’s something else. I read the first book a few years back but don’t remember anything about it.
Pilots and early episodes normally get a pass from me but this show has managed to hold its own. I like that they dove right into things instead of trying to hold my hand through each step. It lets me actually enjoy the show.
I actually like the Tara character better now than I did in the first two episodes. She seems to have calmed down some and her character is developing a personality that is deeper than just constantly angry.
Jason irritates me because I just feel bad for him all the time. He’s quickly becoming that kid who never learns how to avoid trouble because he can weasel his way out of anything.
Anna Paquin is doing a great job. She plays the role extremely well and I am enjoying her character.
This is the first Vampire show I have gotten into since BTVS and so far, so good.